ooking at him. But Dick knew that it was only the natural curiosity of
the hills and he renewed his journey without apprehension.

At the appointed time he saw the stout log cabin of Ben Trimble by the
roadside with the warm smoke rising from the chimney, but true to his
word he gave Ben and his shotgun no trouble, and continued straight
ahead over the frozen road until he came to the banks of Hungry Creek.
Here, too, the words of the boy came true. The water was both deep and
cold, and Dick looked at it doubtfully.

He urged his great horse into the stream at last, and it appeared that
the creek had risen somewhat since the boy had last seen it. In the
middle the horse was compelled to swim, but it was no task for such a
powerful animal, and Dick, holding his feet high, came dry to the shore
that he sought.

The road led on through high hills, covered with oak and beech and cedar
and pine, all the deciduous trees bare of leaves, their boughs rustling
dryly whenever the wind blew. He saw the smoke of three cabins nestling
in snug coves, but it was a full three hours before he met anybody else
in the road. Then he saw two men riding toward him, but he could not
tell much about them as they were wrapped in heavy gray shawls, and wore
broad brimmed felt hats, pulled well down over their foreheads.

Dick knew that he could not exercise too much caution in this debatable
land, and his right hand dropped cautiously to the butt of his pistol in
such a manner that it was concealed by his heavy overcoat. His left hand
rested lightly on the reins as he rode forward at an even pace. But he
did not fail to take careful note of the two men who were now examining
him in a manner that he did not like.

Dick saw that the strangers openly carried pistols in their belts, which
was not of overwhelming significance in such times in such a region, but
they did not have the look of mountaineers riding on peaceful business,
and he reined his horse to the very edge of the road that he might pass
them.

He noted with rising apprehension that they checked the pace of their
horses as they approached, and that they reined to either side of the
road to compel him to go between them. But he pulled his own horse out
still further, and as they could not pass on both sides of him without
an overt act of hostility they drew together again in the middle of the
road.

"Mornin' stranger," they said together, when they were a few yards away.

"Good